Elite Men's Individual Time Trial, 50.8 kms

14:00 Thursday, October 7, 1999

Piazza dei Signori - Piazza
Duomo, 50.8 kms:

Reports:

Ullrich by a slender margin

Germany's Jan Ullrich has secured the gold medal in the individual time
trial with a convincing but not overwhelming ride, as Sweden's Michael
Andersson rode strongly and surprised a few with his second place, while
Britain's Chris Boardman is on the podium with a bronze.

Ullrich covered the 50.6 km in 1.00.28 at an average speed of 50.209
kmh, just 14 seconds ahead of Andersson, who started in 26 th position
and was not considered a favourite or medal prospect.

Boardman, meanwhile, told reporters at the finish he was not really happy
with his ride - he wanted to win. Nonetheless, the classy British rider
finished 58 seconds behind Ullrich and can add yet another World Championship
medal to his collection back home in England.

The Latvian rider Raivis Belohvosciks came in 1.04 behind Ullrich and
was another surprise performer, starting with back number 39 and not expected
to figure.

But consider the agonising wait for Sweden's Michael Andersson, who rode
strongly and had to wait as over 20 riders came in, all over his exceptional
time except one. He certainly hit the worlds at just the right time, as
he has only won two races this year, the last one on June 27 when he won
the Swedish ITT championship

Ullrich has confirmed his place as one the best cyclists in the world
following this win and his performance in the Vuelta a Espana last month.
Although defending champion Abraham Olano and world number one (on the
UCI ranking) Laurent Jalabert did not ride, it's doubtful either would
have overcome the awesome German rider.

The weather did not play a major role in the outcome of the ITT, as conditions
were mostly calm with slight winds at the start, gradually decreasing
through the afternoon with the final five finishing in sunshine.

Jan the Man comes through

By Tim Maloney, cyclingnews.com correspondent

As most observers expected, Team Telekom's Jan Ullrich of Germany took
out the Elite Mens World Championship Time Trial in Treviso. The lanky
Swede, Michael Andersson of Acceptcard took the silver and British TT
specialist Chris Boardman from Credit Agricole rounded out the medals
with third place bronze.

Ullrich didn't crush the opposition, but in beating the suprising Andersson,
he showed his class and demonstrated that he has regained his confidence
after winning the Vuelta d'Espana, and now his first World TT championship.
Ullrich said post-race that "I found my rhythm early on and with the great
weather, I felt great. Once I heard I had the fastest (split) times, I
just went all out."

Early on, young Latvian Raivis Belohvosciks of Lampre had the fastest
time in the 50.6km time test, but the 6'4" Andersson smashed his time
to go into the lead. With 25 riders to come after the Acceptcard rider,
it seemed that his time would be bested by time trial specialists like
Velo, Mauri, Honchar or Boardman.

Rider after rider tried to beat the Swede, but only the penultimate
rider Ullrich was capable of beating him and by only 14" at that! "I can't
believe it!", Andersson told cyclingnews.com. "I feel fantastic...I tried
to find my own rhythm and everything worked today."

Last man off Serhiy Hontchar never found his rhythm; the powerful Ukranian
pushed his characteristic 55 X 11 gear but to no avail, while Alex Zulle
started fast and pushed Boardman, but faded in the final run-in back to
Treviso.

Boardman, for his part, wasn't too pleased with his performance. "I'm
just glad it's over...I tried to ride at my threshold and I knew Zulle
had gone ahead of me, but I came back on him."

Tech notes:

Jan Ullrich rode a German FES carbon fiber TT bike painted like a Team
Telekom Pinarello with a 26" front wheel. Ullrich used a special water
soluble coating on the tread of his Continental tires that allegedly lowered
the rolling resistance.

Rik Verbrugghe of Lotto had a pin-up stem (a la Cipollini) on his GT
team bike; alas it did him little good as the talented Belgian tester
finished way out of the medals.

Profile of a silver medallist

By Tomas Nilsson

(Apologies to Ullrich fans, but Andersson is certainly not as well known!)

Michael Andersson, currently without a contract after this season, started
his sporting career in rowing (still nicknamed "The oarsman" in Sweden
) with several Swedish championships. His domination on the lakes and
rivers got boring, so one day he borrowed a bike and started in a tour
ride, and then in a real cycle race.

It didn't take him many years to be equally dominant in amateur cycling,
especially the time trials. In road races he is more famous for his early
attacks like in the Olympic race in Atlanta 1996.

He won his first of six time trial national championships in 1992. The
distance was, as always in Sweden, 50 kms, the standard championship distance
even for juniors in those days. Andersson also won the Postgirot Tour
of Sweden in 1991 and 1992 against professional riders.

His professional career started in Portugal in the fall of 1995 at Sicasal
Alcral, he rode for Telekom in 1996 and TVM in 1997 and 1998 before signing
for Acceptcard in 1999, a team that will close after this season.

Other stage race wins: Rapport Tour (RSA) 1995, Giro dell Capo (RSA)
1995, and the Tour of China 1996. He also won the Berner Rundfahrt one
day race in 1997 and was then for a while ranked among the top 100.

This year he has two victories: A stage in Ringerike GP, Norway (cat
2.5) and the Swedish TT championships, he also held the leaders jersey
in the Tour de Langkawi during one stage. He is currently ranked 377th
on the UCI list with 102 points. Now he gets another 150 points which
will bring him into the top 200.

Need a time triallist anyone?

As it happened

Update - weather conditions:

This morning in Treviso there are overcast skies and cool temperatures,
with the slight hint of rain. According to our correspondent, Tim Maloney,
the barometer reading is still high and the weather should remain relatively
stable for the Elite Men's ITT, with a slight wind building in the afternooon
but only affecting certain, less-protected parts of the course.

In fact, the weather is very similar to the previous days' conditions,
which has seen some exceptional times. So we should expect a similar performance
this afternoon.

At 15.02 hours, 37 riders on the course
As rider number 20, the American Chann McRae was leaving the start gates,
the current state of the ITT was:
Fastest overall time was rider Eugen Wacker (Kgz), rider 57, with a time
of 1.02.28 and average speed of 48.601 kmh;
The fastest time split at 27km, the top of the Montello climb, was rider
number 39, Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) who covered the first half in 35.32,
with Wacker second fastest at 36.20 and Australia's Nathan O'Neill, recording
the third-fastest time split of 36.35.

The Moldavian rider Igor Bonciucov was suspended for a high red blood
cell count, while the South African rider David George did not start for
an unspecified reason.

At 15.22 hours, 49 riders out, 19 finished, 30 on the course
The new fastest time of 1.01.32 has been set by Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat),
who had previously recorded the fastest time split (average speed of 49.339).
The Latvian was just under one minute faster than the previous fastest
time, set by Eugen Wacker (Kgz).
The fastest time split has now been claimed by the Swede Michael Andersson,
who covered the first 27 km in 35.22, 10 seconds faster than the Latvian.
Australian Nathan O'Neill has completed the course in 1.03.07, which puts
him outside the top 10.
Our correspondent Tim Maloney reports that the sun is now coming out and
it's clear skies ahead for all the big guns who are all still to start.

At 15.40 hours, all riders out
As expected Jan Ullrich has streaked through the very first time check
at 8 km with the fastest time, while one of his major rivals, Switzerland's
Alex Zuelle, lost his bidon only 20 metres from the start. Alex is so
accident-prone ... Meanwhile, last man out Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) had already
lost 12 seconds to Ullrich by the 8 km point.
This could be a case of not whether Ullrich will win, but by how much.

The fastest time overall is currently held by Sweden's Michael Andersson,
who has completed the 50.6 km course in 1.00.42, some 50 seconds faster
than the previous fastest set by Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat). Andersson
also holds the fastest intermediate time split at the top of the Montello
climb (27 km), but it's expected that the big guns will overhaul this
soon.

At 16.10 hours, all riders out and Ullrich at halfway
After the 27 km point Germany's Jan Ullrich had driven through in 34.56,
only 26 seconds faster than the previous intermediate fastest time set
by Sweden's Michael Andersson of 35.22. Following Andersson on the intermediate
times at 27 km is Alex Zuelle and Britain's Chris Boardman. Although Serhiy
Honchar is pounding a massive 55 x 12 gear, "he doesn't appear to be in
the race today", reports Tim Maloney.

At 16.30 hours, all riders out
Britain's Chris Boardman has just come in at 1.01.27, second fastest to
Sweden's Michael Andersson and looking like he may be on the podium. The
Swede's time is still fastest and is 45 seconds faster than Boardman.

Preview:

By Jeff Jones

Although last year's winner and hot favourite for this year, Abraham
Olano, has had to withdraw due to injury, the elite men's time trial will
still be a very fiercely contested event. Time trial specialists will
love this course, as it is not overly technical nor hilly, enabling the
power men to come to the fore. There have already been some extremely
quick times posted in the events contested so far. The winners of all
but the junior women's events have averaged over 50 km/h, so we can expect
some fireworks from the elite men.

Heading the list of favourites is Germany's star Jan Ullrich, who by
riding on "modified" tires, would love to add a rainbow jersey
to his palmares this year. That combined with his recent Tour of Spain
victory would make for a half decent year. Telekom might even hire him
again next year.

However, we shouldn't count out last years second and third place getters,
Melchior Mauri Prat (Spa) and Serhiy Hontchar (Ukr) who are specialists
in this event, and will not be riding it under the conditions of a three
week tour. Likewise, there are former winners Alex Zulle (Sui) and Chris
Boardman (Gbr) who will push the others all the way, though possibly not
literally.

Australia will have good top 10 prospects in Brad McGee and Nathan O'Neill,
while the USA has William Chann McRae as their best hope. Canada's Commonwealth
Games gold medallist, Eric Wohlberg will also be aiming for a high placing.

Stay tuned for live updates from Tim Maloney at the worlds for cyclingnews.com!